For the love of money is the root of all evil

Gustave de Molinari and The Anti-statist Liberal Tradition, Part 2

The Development of Molinari’s Anti-statism

Therefore I claim that if a community gave notice, after a certain interval — a year for example, that it would cease the payment of judges, soldiers and gendarmes, at the end of the year this community would not have fewer courts and governments ready to function. And I add that if, under this new regime, each person retained the right to freely engage in these two industries and to freely buy these services, security would be produced most economically and would be the best possible.

Since the need for security is still very strong in our society, it would be profitable to found government enterprises. One would be assured of covering costs. How would these enterprises be founded? Separate individuals would not be able to do it, anymore than they can construct railroads, docks, etc. Vast companies would thus be established to produce security; they would procure the material and the workers that they would need. As soon as they were ready to function, theseproperty insurance companieswould call for clients. Each person would contract with the companywhich inspired in him the greatest confidence and whose conditions appeared the most favorable. — Molinari1